“Nachani-Tandul-Taushe’ Godu Muddo (Finger Millet- Rice- Cucumber Sweet Idly)” … Godu Muddo/ Idly is a delicious delicacy from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine often prepared during monsoon when large sized cucumber is available … they have a unique taste and aroma of their own and taste wonderful when included into dishes … though this dish is traditionally prepared with rice, I just tweaked a little bit and added on ragi/ nachani/ for an healthier option … tastes awesome served hot with a generous topping of homemade ghee/ toop … Yummilicious ….
** I have already included recipe “Taushe’ Muddo (Cucumber Dumplings)” before in my blog here. This recipe of this dish remains the same with a small tweak ie inclusion of ragi/ nachani/ finger millet powder. I have often mentioned that the large sized cucumber/ taushe’ with dark green skin available in plenty during monsoon has a unique taste of its own and you really need to savor it to know the difference from the normal ones available all round the year. Muddo/ dumplings prepared using them has a lovely taste and for the recipe you can browse through the link shared at the bottom of this recipe.
** This one is sweeter version with inclusion of nachani/ ragi/ finger millet flour while rest of the recipe remains the same. This is a wonderful way of introducing veggies into children’s meals so that they have a nutritious food to relish when they come home hungry from school, the sweet version is always a delight to them. I have not tried spicy version here unlike in my other posts and will surely share when I do so. Do give these a try and enjoy it as a snack with your family on weekends, I am sure they will all love it. Remember to serve it hot topped with ghee/ toop as it tastes best served traditional way.
** Here is my recipe for preparing “Nachani-Tandul- Taushe’ Godu Muddo (Finger Millet- Rice- Cucumber Sweet Idly)” … my style …
** In a wide stainless steel bowl add 2 cups of Rice/ Idly Rava along with fresh water say to rest 3 inches above the level of rava and let soak for about 30 minutes. Tilt and drain off all the water as much as possible taking care to see that the rice rava remains without being drained away. Keep this aside ready.
** I have used one large sized cucumber/ taushe’ for this recipe. Wash, slice off both sides and grate the cucumber either with the skin on or you can peel off the same too. Let rest for 10 minutes, to allow excess water to leave. Now collect the water and keep aside the gratings. In all I had about 3-4 cups of finely grated cucumber and one cup of the cucumber water from one large sized cucumber.
** Add 1 heaped cup of freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal) in a mixer grinder with the collected cucumber water and grind to a smooth paste adding in more water only if necessary. Add 1 tsp of cardamom (ellaichi/ ellu) powder and about 1- 1.5 cups of jaggery (goda/ bella/ gud) powder and further grind until well mixed.
** Add ground coconut- jaggery mixture to drained rice rava in the bowl along with cucumber gratings and kept aside. Add to it about 1 cup of nachani (ragi/ finger millet) flour, a pinch of black salt (kala namak/ meeta) and mix well adding water as required to bring to thick consistency. We need the texture to be that of rava bhakri consistency as here we are using steel vati (Idly molds) for steaming the same.
** Note : I add a pinch of black salt (kala namak/ meeta), to sweet dishes like muddo/ sweet idly as it enhances the taste. However, if not desired or you want to avoid the same, you can skip adding salt or add normal salt too.
** Let mixture rest aside after adding nachani flour, say for about 10-15 minutes. This is must, so do not skip this step as on resting the flour will absorb moisture which will make muddo/ sweet idly softer, if not there are chances of muddo turning harder/ dry in texture. Check the consistency before adding them to mold and add more water if required and mix well. Keep the Pedavana/ Idly steamer/ any steaming vessel on high heat with required amount of water in it and bring to a full steam.
** Grease the inside of Idly vati/ molds which you are going to steam them in with ghee (do not use oil, the taste is enhanced with application of ghee for sweet idlies). Place a halved cashew nut (kajjubi/ kaju) and then top it carefully with prepared mixture leaving a gap of ½- 1 inch on the top for proper steaming of the muddo.
** When the water in Idly steamer/ pedavana comes to full heat, place the prepared vati in layers depending upon how many levels your pedavana/ steamer is, mine is of three tires with 4 on each. Cover the lid tightly, steam on high heat for 5-7 minutes or till you see steam escaping through the lid, then lower the heat to medium and steam for another 15-20 minutes, in all do not exceed 30 minutes of steaming.
** Note : Steaming time depends upon number of Idly molds and their size as used and also the size of steamer etc. However, maximum steaming time is 30 minutes and does not really need more time than that. Also, excess steaming turns the Idlies hard textured as the water content within them gets over dried, so be careful, and steam accordingly. If still unsure you can check by inserting a knife or wooden stick just like how we check out the cooking of a cake, if it comes out clean its done.
** When steamed and done, remove molds immediately from steamer with the help of tongs, keep them aside and let cool a bit, say for 5-10 minutes. Run a blunt knife through the edges on inner side of molds and gently flip it over in one go, they come out beautifully intact. Idly is ready and done, you can follow the same procedure with remaining mixture if any or you can use the batter in preparation of Idlies only.
** “Nachani-Tandul- Taushe’ Godu Muddo (Finger Millet- Rice- Cucumber Sweet Idly)” is done and ready to be served. Always serve these sweet Idlies with loni (butter) or topped with homemade toop (ghee) for best in taste. In GSB Konkani Saraswat homes we serve them either for breakfast or tiffin in the evening especially to children, especially when they come home hungry from school/ playtime. It tastes wonderful, is healthy and filling too and children love them as they are sweet version. For a mother, it is definitely a wonderful way of adding of veggies into children’s meals.
** Note : The same can be prepared in a larger single bowl too wherein the texture will remain the same, Just cut them into required sized pieces on cooling down a little bit. However, if you want to prepare on banana leaf or jackfruit leaf prepared molds (khotto) then you will have to keep the texture of the mixture slightly thicker taking care to see that there is no trace of water leaving through the sides.
** Note : If for any reason rice rava/ idly rava is not available or you do not want to use the same, then you can just soak about 1.5 cups of normal surti kollam or idly rice for 2-3 hours and then grind it to a coarse rava texture and use in preparation of the muddo/ khotto too. Traditional rice was soaked and ground, however, now a day’s rice rava is easily available in stores which falls handy and easy in preparing dishes.
** Sharing common links below to “muddo/ sweet idly” recipes shared in the Blog before, you may browse through them in leisure for more choice and information, some of them also include step by step pictures which may be helpful …
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